Eris Drew lives and breathes rave culture, and has become synonymous with her very own, shamanic approach to the art of DJing. A turntablist at heart, the American artist breathes new life into old-school mixing styles, which she calls ‘riding the pitch’. Ahead of Eris’ extended set at Dekmantel Ten, we asked her to share her favourite records of the moment – which led her to shine a bright spotlight on, amongst others, 1morning’s ‘Magnum Opus’. Dive in!

1morning - Magnum Opus (Character, 2024)

When Dekmantel asked me to do an artist pick in anticipation of my special extended set at this year’s festival, it was easy. Too easy, in fact, because 1morning’s latest EP “Magnum Opus” (Character, 2024) deeply captured my imagination this spring and the record marks a milestone for the Los Angeles-based American techno artist.

Let’s go back a little. I first got hooked to 1morning in 2023. Serendipity is one of the few forms of magic which rationalism has left intact, and I embraced it when I received an extra record in a shipment of used vinyl from a Discogs seller, who also happens to run Fixed Rhythms Records out of Oklahoma City, USA. The extra record was my introduction to 1morning in the form of a new copy of his 2023 “Modus Operandi” EP on the seller’s label. I put the needle on the record and was immediately hooked. After a decade of too much “salt shaker” tech and tidey synthetic plastic elevator techno – not naming names, sorry! – I was delighted to discover an artist who embodies everything I loved about techno when I started going to Chicago warehouse parties in ’90s: driving mid-range percussion, cycling funk and filtered repetitions of pure groove. 1morning’s music is like a bar of an early Todd Terry dub sped up and swilling into the ether; like Bohannon plucking his guitar in an infinite loop. This is the kind of techno that Chicago DJs would mix at loft parties and raves with house and acid like the friendly neighbours they truly are. No artifice, no cheese, no contrivances. I was an instant fan.

I immediately bought my pick for Dekmantel, 1morning’s “Magnum Opus,” when it was released this Spring on the Swedish label Character. As it would happen, the record made its way from Sweden via the UK (Juno Records) to finally find its home with a Chicago DJ now living in the forests of New Hampshire – that is me.

The opening track is an amazing slice of techno with Latin rhythms and instrumentation called “Samba De Verão”. Dance music is an ever evolving culture of reinterpretation as well as outright erasure. While music from Latin America is very popular these days it bears repeating that there is an ever present and profound historical connection between house/techno and Latin American culture. It goes back to Salsoul in the 70s (and even farther I am sure!). It is part of the story of the Americas, and of New York, of Chicago, and of L.A.

The second track, “Flux”, is like a breakdown in a Walter Gibbons disco remix filtering on repeat, with strings punctuating the groove and a psychedelic haze that will make you high. I am writing this piece with the EP on repeat at the Helsinki airport. It is 7am on a Thursday and I feel like I am at the rave. For me “Flux” conjures the hallucinogenic vibe of “The Way” by Global Communications but on an adrenaline rush.

The third track, “Push”, reminds me so much of Chicago. My memories come to the surface including Paul Johnson records played on +8. Afterhours getdowns with the system bangin’ at the limit of its headroom and the DJ workin’ the parametric eq. Ravers dancing into speakers for hours in a small loft space.

The itchy groove of the last song, “Rotation”, is based around a hyperactive plucked guitar part and a rotating section of Latin percussion. Whistles blown on the downbeat signal the start of a new phrase and the undeniable feeling that it is time to play. The groove is earthy but there is a magical cloud of sound in the track from the pads and swirling interplay of the filtered samples, making this track very special indeed.

With so much talent and such a clear point of view as an artist, I think 1morning really stands out. His music connects to the past but is also 100% his own vibe. I could spin this EP forever and probably will. “Magnum Opus” is truly that, “a great work” in the classical sense, a masterpiece.